Break The Surface
by Swagheichou
Summary: Biologist!Eren and Merman!Levi ereri fanfiction
1. Chapter 1

Levi tossed around in the net, biting and scratching, flopped around, letting out horrible screams into the dry air until he was put on the boat, he looked up, hissing at whoever was above him, his eyes glared angrily at the worker above him.

Eren flailed slightly, he'd honestly thought it was a fish.

"Tank tank, Fill the tank!"

The others hurried to fill the tank with salt water—he tried to untangle the merman, whose thrashing, resulted in his hands getting cut over and over by the ropes. He, with the help of 2 others, managed to put Levi into the tank.

Levi made his first attempt to jump out of the tank, failing, he went straight to the bottom, trying to hit the sides with his tail. He surfaced again, letting out another scream before diving under and trying to hit the sides of the tank. Eren smiled a small and hesitant smile.

"H-Hello" he said quietly.

His hair, clothes and papers were dripping with the water that Levi had splashed all over him in his thrashing, but he didn't seem in any kind of bad mood.

"What you doing to me?" he said, the semi-jumbled english barely understandable.

"We're just going to observe you," he reassured, "then we're going to put you straight back in the sea."

Levi hissed angrily, swimming to the bottom, he didn't say anything. Eren simply sat their, mesmerized and not responding. Levi came back to the surface. He had a plan… he went to the side of the glass, putting both of his hands on it to be closest to Eren.

He knew the gesture was out of curiosity, but what was he curious about? By the look of the merman's complexion, even though he was dazzling he could tell the merman was older than himself. Then he had a horrible thought—what if he had a wife and kids.

Levi made several attempts to jump out of the tank.

He kept his eyes on him curiously, "Hmmm tank seems small… panes need to be higher" he mumbled to himself and wrote that down on his soggy notes, that mostly tore as he tried to write.

He didn't care that it was cold. He remained there soaking and shivering like mad, his lips and nails were a bluish color at this stage.

Levi looked at Eren again, and above the surface, he said, "Food."

"What do you eat?" he asked through chattering teeth.

"Sea weed and fish," he said, his warm body unaffected by the cold.

"Why do you make tapping sounds when you talk?"

"I-I'm C-cold" he admitted before going to get a few dead fish, tossing them in the tank, earning a unimpressed glare.

"Why not leave me in the ocean?"

"because they want to understand your kind, remove the whole myth theory with science, also it helps us protect your kind from poaching and water problems and what not, so i hear" he smiled gently.

"When are you putting me back?"

"I don't know. So, what's your name?" he asked curiously.

Levi ignored him.

"My name's Eren," he continued before breathing onto the glass and writing his name backwards to Levi could see how it was written.

Eren remained there till he fell asleep with his forehead rested against the glass

Levi had figured out the swishing of the water, and finally grabbed onto the top of the tank, trying to flop out now.

"OI!" another of the biologists stormed over, Eren Jolted awake at that, he swung at the mermaid to shun him back into the water. Eren frowned and got up "dont do that" he stood between the man and the tank "or what Jaeger?" Eren was evidently smaller than him in every way. but Eren stood his ground, "whatever" he muttered and walked off. Eren slowly exhaled before looking at him

Levi hissed, biting at Eren's arm, clinging for dear life on the side, he stared at Eren.

he screeched as he managed to bite his arm. he jumped away from the tank, clutching his now bleeding arm. tears spring to his youthful blue eyes. "you bit me, why did you bite me?" he looked at him, his tone wasnt angry it was confused "I was trying to stop him hurting you, and you bit me?" he frowned ever so slightly

"I want out," he said, irritated and confused. He wiggled forward over the edge slightly more, "Give me your arm."

"what? no, Levi if i let you out, I'm screwed" he said quietly. and looked up at him. "I'll bandage it, dont worry" he went to the smallfirst aid kit and disinfected it and bandaged it

"Go with me," he suggested, finally wiggling over the top.

He blinked slightly, he had a strong urge to trust Levi, which he couldn't understand.

"I just... stay here for a moment" he said politely before running off— he needed something to help him break the glass, he'd need the force of the water to push Levi into the sea again. While running he passed the captain's doors and paused, he eavesdropped and his eyes widened. They were going to dissect Levi! He barged in and grabbed the captains sword and ran. he was smaller and faster. He struck the glass several times. Before the captain grabbed him. He watched the glass crack before the tank shattered, the water rushing to and over the edge of the boat. He smiled slightly when Levi too fell into the ocean.

He stopped trying to swim "sorry"

Levi yelled out for him, desperately trying to grab for him, he let out a scream when he failed, "Eren!"

He heard his name get called from the falling Merman and he smiled gently, in a sad manner, the captain hit him hard. sending him to the floor. He was hit again and again and again till his face was smeared with blood and he was unconscious—the Captain left him on the deck near the edge, he was furious.

Levi dove down before jumping out of the water, grabbing onto Eren, pulling him into the water, "Wake up…

Eren didn't, his breathing was bad because blood was running down his nose to his lungs in small amounts. his face was completely bloodied and bruising was already showing up on his skin

"Fuck…" he said about the blood, he dunked him under briefly, carrying him away quickly above the water, waiting for him to wake up.

He coughed slightly before his eyes slowly opened ever so slightly. his nose, eyes and skin burnt from the salt. "Levi?" he mumbled without even seeing him.

"Its all right, calm down."

"Come on..." he said, trying to pull him away from the boat.

"I'm sorry... I'm such dead weight, I can't swim"


	2. Chapter 2

"I asked you to come with me."

Levi looked concerned, merchildren, who often could not keep warm,

looked like this.

He choked slightly on the water as a small wave splashed them. "I still feel like I should be able to not be so useless"

"You aren't useless." he said, "where?"

He squinted slightly, seeing water all around them. "I don't know" he admitted quietly "we aren't anywhere near land"

"All right... I can help you breathe... I don't know how long for."

He nodded slightly "you know in all seriousness, I appreciate this, but I will drown before we reach land" he said softly "you might as well just leave me to sink..." He said hoarsely.

"No..." he said, "I'll help."

He gently closed his eyes "okay" he said quietly, he didn't know why Levi was so adament on helping him - but he found it reassuring

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren, to lay on top of him to move.

He felt quite comfortable if anything - despite the chill of the water that made him feel slightly numb

He could feel Levi's heart beat, he only realised then how close they were. "T-thank you b-by the way" his teeth chattered softly "i-i don't know h-how I'll repay you one day"

"You let me out..." he said, hugging Eren tightly , trying to keep him at the surface.

He smiled ever so slightly "you almost got out by yourself" he reminded softly "i-i'm just h-happy I got to m-meet you"

"Why?" he said, stroking Eren's torso.

"Y-You're s-so interesting" his body was shaking from the cold, but his slightly blue lips were still stretched into a small smile

Levi stroked his hand down Eren's torso again, "You are too... and cold…."

He surprisingly laughed softly at that "I get cold v-very easily" he admitted "i-i'll be okay" he reassured weakly

"Are you sure..." he said, rubbing Eren's torso, moving quickly.

He could barely move his fingers but he gently guided Levi's hand to be over his heart "w-when this stops, y-you drop me" he said quietly

"No," he said, wrapping his arms tighter, he stopped, wrapping his arms around Eren. "Your clothes... keeping you cold..." he said.

He would have blushed but most of his blood had gone to keep his vitals working "I-I... B-but" Eren was shy about these kinds of things

"Jacket, shirt, almost everything."

He hesitated but did as requested. Till he was just in his fitted Jeans, only then did he realize that Levi was rather warm

Levi wrapped his arms back around him, rubbing his torso and arms.

His shaking slowly grew less. A faint blush rose to his cheeks since he wasn't entirely used to physical contact without the barrier of a shirt

Levi rubbed his torso, "What about your... legs?"

"T-the Jeans aren't that cold... I can't get them off, my legs will be okay" he mumbled softly

"You are still cold..." he said.

"My legs aren't that important to me" his core was warming thanks to Levi's body heat - "you're very warm" he said quietly


	3. Chapter 3

"All right..." he said, nuzzling Eren.

He blushed and gently closed his eyes, he was aware that now he was completely reliant on Levi, and he felt bad but he would repay him somehow, he would make sure. Levi smiled, he swam quicker, rubbing Eren's torso and arms, he saw an abandoned raft. He slowly opened his eyes to see the raft that they were nearing.

"Eren..." he said, looking at the raft.

"I see it" he said hoarsly, his voice almost gone completely. His heart did a small flutter, maybe he would actually survive

"Get in it..." he said, pushing up, grabbing onto the side of the boat.

He crawled onto the raft with slight difficulty, before coughing slightly- his throat was raw and itched. Levi hung onto the edge, looking at Eren. He was facing him, his face rested against the raft. He opened his eyes and looked at him, for a moment in silence "I've never been so happy in all my life" he lay like a starfish on the raft.

"Food?" he said curiously.

"I don't have any" he said quietly as he watched him.

"Do you need some?"

"I think I'll be okay for now," he said softly, "but you should go eat, you're the one who did all the swimming."

Levi nodded, quickly swimming deep under the water to eat, surfacing about half an hour later. When he surfaced Eren was curled in a ball fast asleep. He looked much younger when he slept. Levi sighed under the water, sleeping under the water. He woke a few hours later and sat bolt upright when he realized Levi wasn't there, he looked around before exhaling hoarsely, he was surprised by his own disappointment to an extent.

Levi woke up later, awkwardly, pulling up so Eren could see him, "Eren."

The moment he saw him the light returned to his eyes, he smiled ever so slightly "oh, I thought you'd left" he admitted

"I'm still here..." he said, pulling himself up higher, "How do you feel?"

"A little sunburnt to be honest" he mused "but otherwise I feel fine" he said with a small smile

"All right... Do you want to swim today?"

'I don't know how" he admitted shyly "would you teach me?" He asked quietly

"I can try."

"Okay."

"Get in the water, all clothes off, Eren."

'All clothes off' rang in his mind. His face burnt a dark shade of red, his hands instinctively folded over his lap "b-but" he stammered out of shyness.

"What?"

"I-I've never been... Naked in front of someone else before... I'm rather... Shy" he mumbled, his cheeks still red.

"Keep your pants on then," he said, sighing.

He exhaled slowly before gently shaking his head "you're the teacher" he chewed the inside of his cheek as he unbuttoned his jeans and squirmed out of the wet denim.

Levi sighed, going back in the water, he swam about 6 feet from the boat. He gently sat on the edge of the raft, his bare legs dangling in the water. He watched Levi with a mixture of determination of fear, he was sure he'd drown in those 6 feet. Levi came closer, reaching his arms out. He gently placed his hands on Levi's forearms, taking reassurance and comfort from him before gently scooting off the edge of the raft. Levi held him once he was in the water, he pulled him away from the boat through the water. He kept his eyes on Levi trustingly, trying to memorize every movement.

Levi pulled him though the water, "We need to get to land soon."

He nodded gently, "It'll probably be best for me," he said softly before exhaling, "but I don't think this will be the last time I'm in the sea."

What do you mean?" he said, pointing at land barely over the edge of the horizon.

He squinted slightly to see the distant land, "well how else am I going to find and thank you, properly?"

"I don't know... stay with me?"

"Stay with you..." he said softly "but I'm human," he would love to stay with Levi, something about him was fascinating and instantly earned his trust .

"I know..." he said softly, moving faster in the water, running his hand along Eren's body. Find an empty dock. He could leave Eren there.

"If I could... I would" he said honestly, his voice small.

"Its all right..." he said, running his hands across Eren's face.

He exhaled slowly—it pained him that he had to leave him.

"Eren... I'm going to leave you on a dock."

He made a small sound before exhaling slowly "okay..." he said quietly.

"I promise... I'll be fine, Eren."

"Will I... Ever see you again?" he asked quietly.

He nodded slightly, "okay," he did his best to hide his disappointment in his voice.

Levi sighed, less than half an hour later, they reached a dock, an empty one, he stopped. Levi grabbed onto the dock, holding on.

He exhaled. Slowly, he didn't want to let go but he knew he had to. He gently shifted to hold onto the.

Levi sighed, pushing him out of the water he thrashed slightly, before letting out a screech, being pulled into the water he grabbed onto the dock as you could see blood spilling out into the water.


End file.
